Flying this Thursday - am I missing anything?

We just got word today that DH’s new job will be flying us out for their annual Christmas party. We leave Thursday, so we’re scrambling to make sure we have a solid plan. Let me know your thoughts and if I’m missing anything critical!

We will be renting a car there to drive from the airport to the resort. Obviously we’ll need a car seat for 2.5 yo DD. We currently have a bulky Graco car seat that I assume would be a pain to travel with. At our nearest Walmart they have some $40 car seats we could buy tomorrow and use for future travel as well. Should we check it in its original box? Is that the best way to ensure it doesn’t get damaged? Will that be true coming home as well, assuming we repack it in the original box?

I assume we’ll want a stroller for moving quickly through the airport (our layovers are tight). The only stroller we own is a cheap umbrella stroller, DD (dear daughter) prefers walking so we ditched our big stroller a while back. We can gate check that right? We’re flying a bunch of airlines but all “DBA” as United - not sure if different airlines have different policies. I’m not worried about damage since it’s like $20. I wish we could just wear DD (dear daughter) but she’s ~40 lbs which is over the weight limit for my Ergo.

Since DH’s company is paying I figure we should check as much as possible (one big suitcase and the car seat) so we can move quickly through the airport with just the items we’ll need on the plane. Although our reservations did say we had Economy Plus which includes overhead storage, but I feel like stroller plus carry-on suitcase(s) would be a lot to manage.

The only ID we need for DD (dear daughter) is her birth certificate correct?

I second taking the car seat in the plane and using it. I have been witness to a family being escorted off a plane because their toddler was melting down and wouldn’t sit in their seat. If they had used a car seat they could have been strapped in and made the trip even if the kid was screaming.

The safest way for your child and the car seat to travel is taking the car se...

Posted
12/04/2018

The safest way for your child and the car seat to travel is taking the car seat on the plane and using it. Strap your daughter into her car seat.

At 2.5 she has to have her own ticket and seat so technically you don't need a birth certificate, that being said I always still took it.

You can attach the car seat to the stroller to get it through the airport.

What exact car seat do you have?

Is she rear or FF in the car?

Yes I would take the stroller and you can gate check it.

The only car seat we have right now is a Graco Milestone. DD (dear daughter) currently RFs but she’s getting close to the weigh limit (40 lbs). 3 months ago she weighed 36 lbs, I’ll have to weigh her again soon to see where she’s at because she just had a huge growth spurt. Not related to this trip but I’ve toyed with getting a Graco Extend2Fit to RF (rear facing) longer - we drive A LOT - but haven’t pulled the trigger. We’re in a rural location currently and no local stores carry the Extend2Fit so it’s not an option before this trip - aside from the fact I assume it’s not easy to travel with. But we can get a cheapie Cosco easily and she should be good to RF (rear facing) in the car in that for this trip. Can she RF (rear facing) on the airplane or would she be FF?

This is the only stroller we own. I’m not sure how a car seat would fit on this for transport through the airport. Also how do we get DD (dear daughter) through the airport if her car seat is in the stroller? We don’t need a stroller at our destination since all the events are happening at the same hotel. The only point we saw to bringing it would be to avoid carrying our very heavy DD (dear daughter) through the airport. 😅www.walmart.com/ip/Kolcraft-Cloud-U...

Our plan was not to use the car seat on the airplane due to the logistics of it. DD (dear daughter) will do just about anything for screen time and candy so I’m not TOO worried about her sitting when needed. But I know toddlers are unpredictable and safety is important to me. I’m open to ideas of how we can get the car seat through the airport quickly and easily! Our layovers at ORD are both ~60 min, with even a short delay we will be booking it to our next flight!

If you buy a lightweight seat, you can have DD (dear daughter) ride in the stroller and use a bungee cord to hang the car seat off the back of the stroller. Someone may have photos they can show you of this set up.

Having said that, you might want to check height/weight/harness straps on cheapie Cosco seat if you’re DD (dear daughter) is close to 40 lbs!

I would FF (formula feeding or forward facing) on the plane at 2.5 personally, but there are benefits to RF (rear facing) (namely kiddo can’t kick the seat in front of her). However, RF (rear facing) usually means the person in front of you can’t recline their seat, so you’re annoying them one way or the other! Shrug. My LOs were just always easier to manage in their seats on a plane if they felt “big” by seeing what every one else did.

Once you figure out which seat you’ll be bringing, it’s likely someone here can give you thoughts on how it installs on a plane!

The only car seat we have right now is a Graco Milestone. DD currently RFs ...

Posted
12/04/2018

The only car seat we have right now is a Graco Milestone. DD on the airplane or would she be FF?

This is the only stroller we own. I’m not sure how a car seat would fit on this for transport through the airport. Also how do we get DD through the airport. 😅
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Kolcraft-Cloud-Umbrella-Stroller-Black/38542557

Our plan was not to use the car seat on the airplane due to the logistics of it. DD will do just about anything for screen time and candy so I’m not TOO worried about her sitting when needed. But I know toddlers are unpredictable and safety is important to me. I’m open to ideas of how we can get the car seat through the airport quickly and easily! Our layovers at ORD are both ~60 min, with even a short delay we will be booking it to our next flight!

It's been a couple years since I have flown so someone correct me if I am wrong.

Will she sit still during take off and landing with the seatbelt sign on, even if she can't watch something.

Economy plus on United gives you more space between seats but if you don't have status and aren't one of the first to board, the overhead bins by your seats will most likely be filled by the time you get on. You'd get overhead space but likely farther back in the plane away from your seats which are up toward the front.

I’d buy a lightweight travel seat, FF (formula feeding or forward facing) on the plane. Get it through the airport either hanging off the back of the stroller or strapped into the seat of the stroller with bungee cords. What seats do you have available to purchase locally?

Strapping to the back makes sense. Duh. I was picturing the car seat IN the stroller. 🤦‍♀️ This is our stroller and this is the car seat I see is available at our Walmart. There’s two colors but it appears to be the same model. It can RF (rear facing) to 40 lbs. I just weighed DD (dear daughter) and she’s 37.5 lbs so we can still RF (rear facing) in the car at the very least. That will get us through this trip. 👍

Any tips on how to strap the car seat to the stroller are much appreciated

I assume we’ll want a stroller for moving quickly through the airport (our layovers are tight).

Your layovers are short enought that I would not gate-check anything. It can take the baggage handlers a while to bring things up from the hold. As it is, you will be heading straight to your next gate without passing GO!, collecting $200, or going to the bathroom.

Because of the time crunch, I would find a folding hand truck or folding luggage cart, strap the car seat to that, and put DD (dear daughter) in the car seat to get through the airport. Check the stroller at the counter if you need it at your destination.

Here is an example starring my super-sized 2.5 year-old in his car seat on a cart.

The hand truck doesn't count as a carry-on and can be stowed under the seat in front of your DD. You can find a MagnaCart at Costco, or Wal-Mart should have a luggage cart that will do in their luggage section.

At our nearest Walmart they have some $40 car seats we could buy tomorrow and use for future travel as well. Should we check it in its original box? Is that the best way to ensure it doesn’t get damaged? Will that be true coming home as well, assuming we repack it in the original box?

Your DD (dear daughter) is close to outgrowing the $40 Cosco Scenera NEXT seat at Walmart. The weight limit (rear- and forward-facing) is 40 lbs. Even if she fits in it now (she may have outgrown it if she is a similar percentile for height and weight), you will not get future use out of it. An "average-sized" child usually outgrows this seat by age 3.

And if you buy a NEXT or most other Cosco seats in-store, it doesn't come in a box. The seats are shipped stacked on a pallet. The pallet is put in the aisle to serve as a display and aren't always in the car seat section. The seat does come in a vinyl bag, though.

See if your closest Walmart has the Cosco MightyFit or the Graco Contender in stock. These seats fit well on planes and should last your DD (dear daughter) for a few more years. The MightyFit should be about $80, the Contender about $110.

Or if you don't mind buying a forward-facing only seat, get a Cosco Finale for about $40. You aren't going to find a budget seat that rear-faces past 40 lbs, anyway.

The only ID we need for DD (dear daughter) is her birth certificate correct?

If you are flying out of the country, your DD (dear daughter) needs a passport (as do all adults). Otherwise, she doesn't need any ID at all.

I will check back a few times today (my time) in case you have any questions.

If you buy a lightweight seat, you can have DD ride in the stroller and use...

Posted
12/04/2018

If you buy a lightweight seat, you can have DD ride in the stroller and use a bungee cord to hang the car seat off the back of the stroller. Someone may have photos they can show you of this set up.

Having said that, you might want to check height/weight/harness straps on cheapie Cosco seat if you’re DD is close to 40 lbs!

I would FF usually means the person in front of you can’t recline their seat, so you’re annoying them one way or the other! Shrug. My LOs were just always easier to manage in their seats on a plane if they felt “big” by seeing what every one else did.

Once you figure out which seat you’ll be bringing, it’s likely someone here can give you thoughts on how it installs on a plane!

Some airlines require all seats are FF, even infant seats... Just an FYI (for your information)

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